Divine Liturgy
Why does Sunday morning seem to include more than one service?
Sunday morning seems to include more than one service because it often does. The Church prepares for the Eucharist through Matins and the Raising of Morning Incense, then begins the Eucharistic movement with the Offering of the Lamb, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Faithful, and Distribution. These are distinct movements, but they are normally prayed as one continuous path toward Holy Communion.
The Southern Diocese rites curriculum names this sequence as Raising of Morning Incense, Offering of the Lamb, Liturgy of the Word, and Liturgy of the Believers. Many parishes also describe the Eucharistic prayer portion as the Liturgy of the Faithful. These names describe how the Church approaches the Eucharist.
Why Preparation Comes First
The Eucharist is approached with prayer, repentance, Scripture, thanksgiving, and intercession. Matins and the Raising of Incense help the Church stand before God before the gifts are offered. The people pray for the peace of the Church, the fathers, the assemblies, the sick, travelers, the departed, the offerings, and the needs of the world.
Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
How The Movements Fit Together
Matins and incense gather the Church into prayer. The Offering of the Lamb places the chosen Lamb and wine before God. The Liturgy of the Word forms the faithful by the apostolic readings and Gospel. The Creed
That order is why Sunday morning can feel layered. The Church is moving step by step toward the mystery of Christ's Body and Blood.
- Coptic Rites (1): Raising of Incense, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on incense, prayer, liturgical order, and reverent participation.
- Coptic Liturgies, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Overview of the Divine Liturgy, the three Coptic liturgies, and the principal parts of the Eucharistic service.
- Coptic Rites (3): Liturgy of the Word, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on the Pauline, Catholic Epistle, Praxis, Synaxarium, Gospel litany, Creed, and related rites.
- Coptic Rites (4): Liturgy of the Believers, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on the Anaphora, institution narrative, invocation of the Holy Spirit, consecration, litanies, and Communion.
- The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, CopticChurch.net. Service text and introduction for the most commonly used Coptic Divine Liturgy.
Eucharist: A Greek word meaning thanksgiving. In Orthodox worship it names the sacrament in which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.
Matins: The morning prayer service, often joined to the Raising of Incense before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning.
Incense: Fragrant offering used in worship as a biblical sign of prayer rising before God, especially around the altar, Gospel, icons, clergy, and faithful.
Lamb: The holy bread selected during the Offering of the Lamb, named in relation to Christ the Lamb of God who gives Himself for the life of the world.
Holy Communion: The faithful receiving the true Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, after baptismal life, repentance, confession, fasting, reconciliation, and pastoral preparation.
Intercession: Prayer offered on behalf of another. The Church asks the saints to pray with and for us because they are alive in Christ.
Raising of Incense: A Coptic service of psalms, doxologies, litanies, absolutions, and incense, commonly prayed in Vespers and Matins.
Creed: The Church's shared confession of faith, proclaimed in the Liturgy before the Eucharistic prayer as the faithful stand together in apostolic belief.